Phobos
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2013
- Messages
- 9
Hello there everyone. I am a new user to the board but, not necessarily new to boating. A friend and I owned a couple of boats but, it was back in the late 80's maybe early 90's (young and foolish!) and I am sure things have changed.
We had owned a USED 72 Sea Ray cuddy cabin with a 351 V8 and mercury outdrive, and then we upgraded to a USED 1983 or so 23' sun runner cabin cruiser with a 350 v8 and alpha one outdrive. (if my memory serves)
Anyway, we had very little trouble with the i/o drive or engines. We left the boats in the water (Small fresh water lakes) here in IL and outside of having to clean the green slime off the outside of the boat and maybe replace the zinc pieces ever year, the I/O's were pretty reliable. Granted we had the 72 Sea ray for only 1 season. It was our starter boat but we kept the sun runner for about 5 to 7 years.
Anyway... looking to get a small USED boat for a lake we have a vacation home on in Wisconsin. Probably a bow rider. It's about 180 acres of water and averages 12 feet deep but does go as deep as 30 feet in places. I plan on putting the boat in the water in the spring and then taking it out in the fall. I plan on storing it in the garage during the off-season. When docked, I plan on using one of those boat lifts that hoists the boat up and out of the water. I realize there is maintenance but I don't want to spend all summer screwing around with the boat.
When I say small, I'm thinking 17 to 19 feet. I plan on using it for pulling an inner tube type thing and probably a single water skier. My family is my wife and me and my 12 year old daughter. I would expect to have a few others on the boat from time to time but I think I only need to carry 6 or 7 passengers at the most. I don't plan on being speed racer on the lake. From past experience I know that 15 to 20 mph for a tube is more than enough. I don't think I 'll need to go more than 45 mph. I have seen 2 cycle jet ski's on my lake so I don't think there are 2 stroke limitations. (I heard that some lakes only allow 4 cycle engines).
Like I stated, I have not had a boat for about 20 years and I am sure things are different now in some aspects. I guess I had 3 questions.
1) What are your thoughts on the engine system? Outboard or I/O or jet drive?? I have read some posts about the pros and cons of IO and outboards but many seemed to have to do with salt water which does not apply to me. I have not seen much on jet drives. I am fairly good with engines (replaced radiators and starters and so on in cars) but I know how cramped it can be in those engine compartments. I don't know anything about an outboard or a jet system.
2) For I/o drives, my last 2 boats were V8's. I don't remember seeing any 4 cylinder engines back then but now it seems there are lots of 4 bangers out there. Not sure if they have enough power (135 HP for the 3,0 liter engines). I have seen some 6 cylinders too.
3) As I stated, I plan on buying used boat. I have been looking around and think boats from 2003 to 2012 would be too expensive, and those from before 1995 may be just too old and have too many issues. So, my target age is 1996 to maybe 2002, and my price range is probably from 4k to 9k but the prices seem to vary widely here in Northern IL. I see the usual names like Sea Ray, Bayliner, Donzi, Wellcraft, and so on. If I remember right Bayliners were sort of low end there in the 80's when AMF owned them. I see some VOLVO drives and many Mercruisers. I see very few OMC's for sale but I think OMC went out of business. I also see new names like SeaDoo and Yamaha jet boats and not sure about the quality of some of these. Is there anything I need to look out for or any known LEMONS from that era.
Thank you in advance.
We had owned a USED 72 Sea Ray cuddy cabin with a 351 V8 and mercury outdrive, and then we upgraded to a USED 1983 or so 23' sun runner cabin cruiser with a 350 v8 and alpha one outdrive. (if my memory serves)
Anyway, we had very little trouble with the i/o drive or engines. We left the boats in the water (Small fresh water lakes) here in IL and outside of having to clean the green slime off the outside of the boat and maybe replace the zinc pieces ever year, the I/O's were pretty reliable. Granted we had the 72 Sea ray for only 1 season. It was our starter boat but we kept the sun runner for about 5 to 7 years.
Anyway... looking to get a small USED boat for a lake we have a vacation home on in Wisconsin. Probably a bow rider. It's about 180 acres of water and averages 12 feet deep but does go as deep as 30 feet in places. I plan on putting the boat in the water in the spring and then taking it out in the fall. I plan on storing it in the garage during the off-season. When docked, I plan on using one of those boat lifts that hoists the boat up and out of the water. I realize there is maintenance but I don't want to spend all summer screwing around with the boat.
When I say small, I'm thinking 17 to 19 feet. I plan on using it for pulling an inner tube type thing and probably a single water skier. My family is my wife and me and my 12 year old daughter. I would expect to have a few others on the boat from time to time but I think I only need to carry 6 or 7 passengers at the most. I don't plan on being speed racer on the lake. From past experience I know that 15 to 20 mph for a tube is more than enough. I don't think I 'll need to go more than 45 mph. I have seen 2 cycle jet ski's on my lake so I don't think there are 2 stroke limitations. (I heard that some lakes only allow 4 cycle engines).
Like I stated, I have not had a boat for about 20 years and I am sure things are different now in some aspects. I guess I had 3 questions.
1) What are your thoughts on the engine system? Outboard or I/O or jet drive?? I have read some posts about the pros and cons of IO and outboards but many seemed to have to do with salt water which does not apply to me. I have not seen much on jet drives. I am fairly good with engines (replaced radiators and starters and so on in cars) but I know how cramped it can be in those engine compartments. I don't know anything about an outboard or a jet system.
2) For I/o drives, my last 2 boats were V8's. I don't remember seeing any 4 cylinder engines back then but now it seems there are lots of 4 bangers out there. Not sure if they have enough power (135 HP for the 3,0 liter engines). I have seen some 6 cylinders too.
3) As I stated, I plan on buying used boat. I have been looking around and think boats from 2003 to 2012 would be too expensive, and those from before 1995 may be just too old and have too many issues. So, my target age is 1996 to maybe 2002, and my price range is probably from 4k to 9k but the prices seem to vary widely here in Northern IL. I see the usual names like Sea Ray, Bayliner, Donzi, Wellcraft, and so on. If I remember right Bayliners were sort of low end there in the 80's when AMF owned them. I see some VOLVO drives and many Mercruisers. I see very few OMC's for sale but I think OMC went out of business. I also see new names like SeaDoo and Yamaha jet boats and not sure about the quality of some of these. Is there anything I need to look out for or any known LEMONS from that era.
Thank you in advance.
